Health care firm with ties to Rivington nursing home accused of stealing San Francisco rabbi’s identity

Rabbi Joel Landau had his photo and biography were used in online posts he says he had nothing to do with — some promoting the Allure Group, run in New York by a different Joel Landau. (jrwasserman/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A California rabbi says his identity has been stolen in an apparent effort to promote a controversial health care firm tied to the Rivington House scandal and run by a man of the same name.

Rabbi Joel Landau of San Francisco had his photo and biography used in a series of online posts he says he had nothing to do with — some promoting the Allure Group, run in New York by a different Joel Landau.

Advertisement

Allure is the company that got a deed restriction lifted on the lowest East Side nursing home Rivington House — then sold the building at a huge profit to a condo developer, sparking a series of investigations.

"For some strange reason, someone is using me to blog," Rabbi Joel Landau said. "Anyone who does a little bit of research on Allure sees that they're embroiled in some less than savory things."

One post published on the Times of Israel website discusses the growth of the healthcare sector, before citing Allure as a company that "managed to position themselves as the best possible alternative for elderly patients, providing them with affordable quality care" and linking to the website of Allure principal Joel Landau.

Posts were also published under Rabbi Landau's picture about Israel technology and Jewish immigration in Boston, and a Twitter account was created in his name that linked to the various posting.

"None of that is mine," said Landau. "Absolutely, positively nothing. Zilch."